For "bolding" a word, put b inside a pair of brackets ( which look like staples) like this <b> only using a left and right bracket on either side to encase it. The brackets and the b won't be visible. On the other side of the word, phrase, paragraph you want to bold, type </b> substituting brackets for the pointy symbols.
For italics, use an i, like this, <i> only substituting brackets for the < and >'s. To end the italics word, phrase, etc., type </i> substituting brackets for the <>s.
For underline, <u>, brackets around u, and </u> with brackets instead of <>'s on the other side.
If you want to combine bolding and italics, put them in a row, and on the other side, make sure you do it in reverse order: <b><i><u> word or phrase, etc. </u></i></b>
To add actual color, as highlighting with a marker, on one side of the passage you want to highlight, write <span style="background-color:FFFF99"> on one side of the passage then write </span> on the other side, substituting brackets.
You can change the color of the highlighting using any of the color codes, from a site like this:
Color Charts
http://www.webmonkey.com/reference/Color_ChartsIt takes a while to remember the formula for that one but it's a lot of fun. You can get a standard color if you write it like this, also, using the standard color name instead of a color hex code. That way you don't also have to throw in the #. It simplifies, somewhat:
<span style="background-color:yellow"> word or phrase to be highlighted</span>
If you want to make a word or a letter larger than the others, you can put <font size=4> on one side of the letter, or word(s) and </font> on the other. If you use 5, or 6 the letters get a lot larger, of course, so you can experiment. I think it's helpful when referring to the internet
S made famous by
George W. Bush. (To drop a word or words below the line slightly, put <sub>before the word and </sub> after the word, substituting brackets for the pointy things.)
You can copy and paste this and substitute the < and > with brackets and to see how it works.
I hope this will work. I learned to do it from reading what posters told other posters when they asked how to do it, myself! It just takes some practice to remember.
Also, if you attempt this on a different message board, it will probably work using the < and > in place of the brackets. That's the original symbol used in html, I assume.
Hope something here will help. They are a relief to know, sometimes.